3 UP
1. Smith & Rosario
In Mets history, it always seems like young guys break into the majors close in time to one another and become forever linked.
This generation was supposed to be Smith & Rosario, but with their early career struggles that hype fell by the wayside. They’ve also been surpassed by the Step Brothers (Pete Alonso & Jeff McNeil). While they’ve been surpassed, that doesn’t mean they can’t re-emerge.
In fact, they just might be doing that.
In the series against the Phillies, Smith has homered in three straight games. Overall, he’s 6-for-12 with a double, three homers, three RBI, and two walks. On the season, he’s up to a 1.4 WAR making him the fourth best player on the team.
With respect to Rosario, he’s had peaks and valleys this year with this series being part of a peak. He had a homer and key stolen base. Over his past 11 games, he’s hitting .342/.366/.500 with four stolen bases in four attempts.
Overall, it’s important to remember Smith and Rosario remain young and very talented. There’s much more to their story than their initial struggles.
2. Well Executed Draft Strategy
The Mets took a calculated risk drafting Matthew Allen in the third round. In order to get him to sign, they team convinced first round pick Brett Baty to accept an underslot bonus. They also drafted a number of collegiate seniors and provided them with low bonuses.
In signing Allen, the Mets got three of the top 40 draft prospects. That’s an excellent job by this franchise, and even with the hit the farm system took this past offseason and the way this season has transpired, there is some hope for the future.
3. Seaver Honored
In advance of a weekend honoring the 1969 Mets, Citi Field’s address has officially been changed to 41 Seaver Way. Additionally, the team has announced they are finally going to build the Tom Seaver statue fans have long wanted, and that statue is going to be placed outside Citi Field.
This is a long overdo but also necessary honor for a pitcher who is still the franchise leader in wins, games started, innings, strikeouts, complete games, and shutouts. He was the 1967 Rookie of the Year, a 12 time All-Star, and a three time Cy Young Award winner. To date, Seaver is the starting pitcher with the highest percent of the vote for Hall of Fame induction.
Seaver has long been The Franchise, and now, that franchise has an address and statue establish such. It’s just a shame he cannot be here to enjoy any of it.
3 DOWN
1. Brodie’s Bad Week
It’s not enough that Jay Bruce, a player who was salary dumped on the Mariners, was a key figure in two losses in this series with a pinch hit homer and walk-off double. One of the players Van Wagenen targeted in the deal, Robinson Cano, had multiple 0-for-5 games. He also has a -0.9 WAR to Bruce’s 1.3.
Speaking of that trade, Edwin Diaz blew a save in a game the Mets absolutely needed to have. It was his fourth blow save matching his total from last year.
He’s also seen other moves he made this offseason not quite pan out like Walker Lockett pitch to an 11.74 ERA before being demoted for the 29 year old rookie Chris Mazza.
Van Wagenen also had to deal with the fall-out from Mickey Callaway‘s and Jason Vargas unprofessional behavior towards Newsday reporter Tim Healey and the subsequent lack of apologies.
Even worse than that were the allegations Van Wagenen might have violated MLB rule by texting instructions to remove Jacob deGrom from the game in Arizona. There have been other alleged yet unspecified incidents where Van Wagenen sent instructions to Callaway during a game.
Short of the Omar Minaya/Adam Rubin “has lobby” incident, it’s difficult to remember a week worse than the one Van Wagenen just had.
2.Unable to Outscore the Bullpen
On Sunday, the Mets led the Cubs 3-1 before losing 5-3. On Monday, the Mets led the Phillies 6-5 before losing 13-7. On Tuesday, the Mets led the Phillies 5-2 before losing 7-5. On Wednesday, the Mets led the Phillies 4-0 before losing 5-4 in 10 innings. On Thursday, the Mets led 3-1, and they lost 6-3.
There are many ways you could put this week and/0r the 20 games where the Mets held a lead only to have the bullpen lose the lead and the game.
They’re the only team with more blown saves than saves (18). They’re the first Major League team to blow five straight games in which they led by at least two runs since the 2001 Mets. The indignities go on and on.
There’s a lot you can say, but one put it better than Gary Cohen when he said, “Mets unable to outscore their bullpen.”
3. Silence
This Mets team has been a disaster. The manager and fifth starter embarrassed the organization and neither could truly apologize for their actions.
The General Manager has lost credibility with the press not just over his “Come get us!” hubris but also because reporters were not buying his denials over their own sources and reporting.
The team is a season low eight games .500 and closer to the Marlins than the Braves in the standings. This is a time when Jeff Wilpon needs to speak.
He needs to give a clear voice to the organization providing a direction and hope for the future. He needs to say what has transpired on and off the field is completely unacceptable.
If history is any guide, he won’t. If he chooses to remain silent, he may soon notice how silent Citi Field will be for the rest of this season and possibly the next.
